Dassault Re-creates Giza Necropolis

Dassault Systèmes, a leader in 3D design, 3D digital mock-up and product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, has announced the launch of Giza 3D, an interactive 3D re-creation of the world-famous Giza plateau, home of the historic Giza Necropolis.

The free Giza 3D interactive application is available at www.3ds.com/giza3D and was officially unveiled at a gala event on May 8 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA). Speakers at the event were Lawrence Berman, the Norma Jean Calderwood senior curator of Ancient Egyptian, Nubian and Near Eastern Art at the MFA, and Al Bunshaft, managing director, North America, at Dassault Systèmes, who will discuss how 3D technologies can help enhance the understanding of art and preserve historical data for generations to come.

In addition to a guided tour of selected virtual monuments as a general introduction, the Giza 3D Web site allows users to roam at will throughout the Necropolis, visit restored tombs, shafts and connected burial chambers, and enter four of the site’s ancient temples, including the pyramids of Khufu and Menkaure. Users can browse contemporary and ancient pictures, and view 30 objects meticulously reconstructed in 3D. The site can also access photos, field journals, maps and other items from the MFA’s Giza Archives Web site to support an extended learning experience.

- The general public will find an easy way to access the best available source of information about the Giza plateau, revolutionizing how Egyptological knowledge is shared.

- The academic world will find a powerful tool to teach Ancient Egypt studies and help students better retain this knowledge. Giza 3D is available on multiple devices, including the Web and 3D immersive environments.

- Researchers will benefit from seeing 3D objects from multiple angles, such as inscriptions on the back of a statue typically not seen within museum glass displays, or from sharing 3D-based information to help test hypotheses.

- Museum exhibition planners can consider using a 3D immersive device to enhance exhibit viewing options. Giza 3D can also enhance the in-person visit to museums through interactive 3D displays and powerful 3D images that make the museum experience an even more memorable one.

“Giza 3D is a powerful example of how our 3DExperience platform powers applications that can change education, research and knowledge-sharing forever,” said Monica Menghini, executive vice president, Industry, Dassault Systèmes. “Today, the archaeological site of Giza is within reach of everyone. A simple home computer is sufficient to experience the wonders of Ancient Egypt and with a 3D TV it is possible to have an immersive stereoscopic experience. The use of immersive rooms permits viewers to travel in space and time with unrivaled realism.”

More than a century ago, George Reisner, renowned Egyptologist and a founding father of modern scientific archaeology, directed the work of the Harvard University—Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Expedition at the Giza Plateau. Over the last 10 years, the impressive collection of photos, diaries, drawings and documents from Giza have been meticulously digitized and made available online by the MFA at Giza Archives. With this information source, Dassault Systèmes reconstructed the Giza Necropolis in the most accurate way possible.